I’ve always looked much younger than my age. Genetics surely played a role, but being on the plumper side was definitely helpful. That was until I decided to lose weight with the help of Mounjaro, the GLP-1 prescription weight loss drug.
At the beginning of my journey, I was incredibly excited about the prospect of fitting into my old size 12 clothes and feeling more comfortable and confident in my body. So, the effects that losing weight might have on my skin were the furthest thing from my mind. I didn’t notice any changes at first. In fact, after shedding a few stone and dropping from a size 18 to a 14, my cheekbones had re-merged, and my jaw began to look a little more chiselled too. It wasn’t until I got closer to my current size 6 frame that I noticed that I was suffering from ‘Ozempic face’.
‘Ozempic face’
Characterised by hollowing through the cheeks and temples, sharper facial folds and increased skin laxity, ‘Ozempic face’ is not just about how much weight you lose, but how quickly you lose it.
“When a large amount of weight is lost rapidly, the skin cannot recover fast enough. Combine that with a reduction in facial fat pads in the temples and mid-cheek, as well as superficial buccal fat, and you’ll find there’s not enough viable support for the skin to spring back on,” explains aesthetic doctor and founder of Illuminate Skin Clinic, Sophie Shotter.
Amerley Ollennu noticed skin changes after taking GLP-1s
(Image credit: Amerley Ollennu)
It turns out that years of stretching the skin breaks and thins the fine web of collagen and elastin fibres that act as its scaffolding. Studies show that people like me, who lose over 50 per cent of excess weight and who have been categorised as obese (under the widely used but imperfect BMI calculation), have around 40 per cent less elastin and markedly reduced collagen density compared with those who have never been obese.
Not only that, but research suggests that the GLP-1 hormone suppresses the activity of fat-derived stem cells in the skin, which normally help regulate inflammation and maintain a healthy skin environment. Cue skin that feels thinner, more reactive, and that’s quicker to show signs of ageing.
Plus, the fat found in the tissue under the skin produces oestrogen, which helps support collagen, hydration and barrier repair. The less facial fat you have, the less oestrogen in your skin, and this reduction increases the activity of enzymes that break down collagen.
Skinny skincare
I must have been experiencing all the above because it felt like my face was folding in on itself and drooping at the same time. My temples were hollow, my nasolabial folds—those lines that run from the sides of your nose down to the corners of your mouth—were suddenly deeper, my cheeks had deflated and sagged, and my complexion was generally dull and lacklustre. At a time when I should have felt full of confidence, having lost 9.5 stone, I actually felt incredibly self-conscious about how much my face had aged. It was time to up the ante on my skincare.
Cue skinny skincare, a new beauty category filled with actives, formulas and delivery systems that support the skin during weight loss and beyond. “For individuals undergoing rapid GLP-1–associated weight loss, the most urgent skin needs are preservation of skin density, support of collagen and hyaluronic acid production, restoration of visible volume, and support of barrier function. Early intervention to assist the cells that build collagen, preserve elastin, and protect them from damage to help support the skin’s structural framework is critical to maintaining skin quality during and immediately after weight loss,” shares dermatologist Dr. Raja Sivamani and VOL.U.LIFT skin health expert.
According to Sivamani, skinny skincare should include antioxidants, collagen and hydration boosters, peptides to support cell communication, and volumising agents to improve the appearance of deflated skin. These, he says, can be found in the VOL.U.LIFT 4D Skin Rebound Complex. One of the first facial creams to target the effects of GLP-1s on the skin, the cream focuses on what founder, plastic surgeon Marc Ronert, describes as the ‘4 D’s’ of ‘Ozempic face’: deflation, density loss, deep wrinkles, and dehydration.
“Clinical studies in GLP-1/GIP users demonstrated improvements in facial volume, firmness and elasticity within 12 weeks, positioning VOL.U.LIFT 4D Skin Rebound Complex as a targeted, evidence-based topical solution for GLP-1–induced skin ageing,” reveals Sivamani.
The ideal GLP-1 skincare routine
But do us GLP-1 users need skincare specifically designed for us, or is it a case of seeking out formulas that bolster the skin as it begins to suffer? I’d say it’s a little of both, as there are a number of anti-ageing products already on the market that fit the bill.
Clinical studies for the SkinCeuticals A.G.E Interrupter Ultra Serum showed that in 12 weeks, this youth-boosting serum, that targets glycation and collagen breakdown, visibly lifted the skin by up to 18 per cent, reduced wrinkles by up to 16 per cent and increased smoothness by up to 54 per cent. And while not designed for GLP-1 users, further tests on those using weight loss jabs showed significant improvements in skin laxity in only four weeks.
Skinceuticals
A.g.e. Interrupter Ultra Serum
When it comes to actual ingredients that counteract Ozempic face, “retinoids boost cell turnover and collagen, improving thickness and elasticity,” says Shotter. “Vitamin C brightens, evens tone and supports collagen, which is especially helpful post weight loss. Peptides gently encourage firmness, hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps, and sunscreen protects against UV-induced collagen breakdown, making it a must.”
With all this in mind, I added the Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & Growth Factor Advanced Lifting Serum, to my daytime routine. I’m not going to lie, it’s expensive, but it has been formulated with growth factors that promote collagen production, peptides that smooth lines and wrinkles, MSM to strengthen, and copper to reduce the appearance of deep lines, which is just what I needed. It was also tested on women who had lost weight by way of weight loss jabs with 100 per cent agreeing their skin felt tighter and firmer.
Allies of Skin
Multi Peptides & Growth Factors Advanced Lifting Serum
I layer this serum with the Paula’s Choice CellularYouth Longevity Serum, which is designed to optimise how skin cells generate and use energy – supporting collagen production and barrier resilience for firmer, smoother, more glowing skin. Next, I top it with the VOL.U.LIFT cream and sunscreen.
Annerly Ollennu after crafting her “skinny skincare” routine
(Image credit: Annerly Ollennu)
At night, I use The Klira Special, from £59/15ml, a prescription retinoid aka tretinoin with added actives that are personalised according to your specific concerns and skin type.
Paula’s Choice
CellularYouth Age-Disrupting Longevity Serum for Firming, Lifting & Smoothing
My results
My new routine has been a game changer, the quality of my skin has improved, it glows and is visibly firmer and plumper too. I’m actually amazed that I’ve managed to achieve this level of lift without the use of strategically placed dermal filler or any kind of facial surgery. I’m 41, but thanks to skinny skincare, I’m looking better than I did a decade ago.